Michael Johnson once promised athletes that his Grand Slam Track series would change their professional lives. Instead, the experiment unraveled in less than a year, leaving millions unpaid and reputations unsettled. The fallout has reached far beyond abandoned meets and empty seats. Johnson, a trusted voice on BBC broadcasts since 2001, has now been removed from the corporation’s roster for the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo. His credibility, carefully built over decades, has collapsed under scrutiny.

For the athletes who bought into his vision, the losses are tangible. Gabby Thomas, a two-time Olympic medalist, is owed $180,000. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has yet to receive $250,000. Melissa Jefferson’s figure stands at $300,000, as does Kenny Bednarek’s. Athletes who once celebra

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